Comments on: Peter Gleick: The Denominator Problem; Misleading Use of Water Numbers http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2009/world/peter-gleick-the-denominator-problem-misleading-use-of-water-numbers/ Reporting the Global Water Crisis Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:22:57 +0000 hourly 1 By: Christine McCulloch http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2009/world/peter-gleick-the-denominator-problem-misleading-use-of-water-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6542 Christine McCulloch Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:37:13 +0000 http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/?p=6264#comment-6542 Well done. The distinction between use and consumption is important. Another problem is the US conservatism in sticking to acre-feet and gallons when the rest of the world is largely metric. Well done.
The distinction between use and consumption is important.
Another problem is the US conservatism in sticking to acre-feet and gallons when the rest of the world is largely metric.

]]> By: Ray Walker http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2009/world/peter-gleick-the-denominator-problem-misleading-use-of-water-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6508 Ray Walker Sun, 30 Aug 2009 22:20:20 +0000 http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/?p=6264#comment-6508 "USE" of water is itself subject to interpretation and definition. The diversion of water for various purposes such as domestic, industrial and agriculture is certainly not the same as the amount "used" which should mean 'consumed' and no longer available for "use' by others or other uses. Domestic use is the easiest use to interpret in this manner. An average family of 4 that diverts 100 gallons per day per person for domestic purposes only consumes about 5% if they are hooked up to a municipal central sewer system and an assumed 10% if they utilize a septic tank and leach field. Therefore, an acre foot of water that is used over and over for domestic purposes accommodates 25 homes, not the usually reported 2 ! Agricultural use is certainly a bit more complicated depending upon how the water is applied to the field be it flood, drip or sprinkler irrigation. Return flows from the different application methods vary considerably and so does the groundwater recharge which in both cases are used again and again for additional irrigation or other purposes. Agricultural irrigation has made many aquifers productive that otherwise would have not been available for domestic purposes or any other use including environmental. Water "use" is a matter of "consumptive use". Depletions are a matter of evapotranspiration losses due to the crop that is raised and evaporation losses due to storage and delivery procedures. CA & NV have been offered a MILLION ACRE FEET each year ( 325,900,000,000 gallons of new water ... consumptive use credit ... from a new non-tributary fresh water Source that can be developed without damage to the environment or the water rights of anyone, anywhere.... and the water can be stored in the space available in the half full Lake Mead which holds 28.5 million acre feet. Is it good public policy to accumulate a million acre feet of new water every year in a facility (Lake Mead) that is already built and paid for and generating 2000 megawatts of renewable energy worth $2 billion/year ... a prudent person would hopefully think so. WaterSource/WaterBank waterrdw@yahoo.com Retired Water Rights Analyst “USE” of water is itself subject to interpretation and definition. The diversion of water for various purposes such as domestic, industrial and agriculture is certainly not the same as the amount “used” which should mean ‘consumed’ and no longer available for “use’ by others or other uses.

Domestic use is the easiest use to interpret in this manner. An average family of 4 that diverts 100 gallons per day per person for domestic purposes only consumes about 5% if they are hooked up to a municipal central sewer system and an assumed 10% if they utilize a septic tank and leach field.

Therefore, an acre foot of water that is used over and over for domestic purposes accommodates 25 homes, not the usually reported 2 !

Agricultural use is certainly a bit more complicated depending upon how the water is applied to the field be it flood, drip or sprinkler irrigation. Return flows from the different application methods vary considerably and so does the groundwater recharge which in both cases are used again and again for additional irrigation or other purposes.

Agricultural irrigation has made many aquifers productive that otherwise would have not been available for domestic purposes or any other use including environmental. Water “use” is a matter of “consumptive use”. Depletions are a matter of evapotranspiration losses due to the crop that is raised and evaporation losses due to storage and delivery procedures.

CA & NV have been offered a MILLION ACRE FEET each year ( 325,900,000,000 gallons of new water … consumptive use credit … from a new non-tributary fresh water Source that can be developed without damage to the environment or the water rights of anyone, anywhere…. and the water can be stored in the space available in the half full Lake Mead which holds 28.5 million acre feet.

Is it good public policy to accumulate a million acre feet of new water every year in a facility (Lake Mead) that is already built and paid for and generating 2000 megawatts of renewable energy worth $2 billion/year … a prudent person would hopefully think so.

WaterSource/WaterBank waterrdw@yahoo.com Retired Water Rights Analyst

]]> By: Water Expert Peter Gleick Calls Out IBWA for Misleading Statistics | Stop Nestle Waters http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2009/world/peter-gleick-the-denominator-problem-misleading-use-of-water-numbers/comment-page-1/#comment-6503 Water Expert Peter Gleick Calls Out IBWA for Misleading Statistics | Stop Nestle Waters Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:11:35 +0000 http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/?p=6264#comment-6503 [...] this case, he takes aim at tactics of the IBWA (the bottled water industry trade association) for creating and publicizing irrelevant statistics: In recent years, there has been growing public opposition to the construction of large spring [...] [...] this case, he takes aim at tactics of the IBWA (the bottled water industry trade association) for creating and publicizing irrelevant statistics: In recent years, there has been growing public opposition to the construction of large spring [...]

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